Pride in ADR

The FBA Alternative Dispute Resolution and LGBTQ+ Law Sections, in collaboration with the FBA Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and the District of Columbia Chapter, present the first-ever, “Pride in ADR” event on Monday, June 17th from 5:00-9:00 p.m. ET, generously hosted by the law firm Sidley Austin in Washington, D.C. and available in hybrid format, remotely, anywhere in the world.

Pride in ADR is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ communities’ availability, visibility, and selection as professionals in the field of alternative dispute resolution and a conversation about some of the challenges which persist as well as those which lay ahead. The Hon. Ana C. Reyes, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the first Hispanic woman and the first open LGBTQIA+ judge to be appointed to the D.C. federal district court, will keynote. A panel discussion will follow, featuring leading alternative dispute resolution practitioners who will share their experiences of coming to the ADR profession as members of the LGBTQIA+ communities including some of the risks, rewards and considerations weighed at the intersection of privacy, personal and professional concerns. Cocktails and conversations will follow the panel presentation both in-person and online.

The event is in honor of Pride, celebrated annually in June, which commemorates the Stonewall Riots, but which also demonstrates, raises consciousness, and develops courage, dignity, and feelings of self-worth for a population which continues to face open hostility and discrimination in today’s society despite advancements in civil rights.

Pride in ADR is proud to have received the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association Diversity Grant as well as financial support from the FBA ADR Section.

No matter your practice, no matter your location, no matter your sexual orientation, come “out” in-person or online, Monday, June 17th, and join us. Show your Pride in ADR!

In-person registration will be available on-site the day of the event, but advance registration is welcome and appreciated. On-line registration is open until Monday, June 17 at Noon ET.

Registration is CLOSED.

June 17 Hybrid Event
In-Person: Sidley Austin’s D.C. Office, 1501 K Street, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20005
Time: 5-9 p.m. ET
Networking Cocktail Reception to follow
Hybrid Component: 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. ET

Presenters

Keynote:
Hon. Ana Reyes, U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the first Hispanic woman and first open-LGBTQIA+ judge to be appointed to the D.C. Federal District Court

In-Person Panelists (alphabetical):

Bryan J. Branon, J.D., Principal, Branon’s ADR and Vice-Chair, FBA D&I Committee (Washington, D.C.)
Dr. Kabir A.N. Duggal, Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator, Arnold & Porter (New York, NY)
Genesis Fisher, Esq., JAMS Mediator, Arbitrator & Trainer (New York, NY)
Anthony J. May, Partner, Brown Goldstein & Levy (Baltimore, MD)
Patrick Pearsall, Partner, A & O Shearman (Washington, D.C.)
Richard Perque, Arbitrator & Mediator, MAPS Mediation Arbitration Professional Systems, Inc. (New Orleans, LA)

Event Hosts
Tiffany Delery Davis, Arbitrator & Mediator, American Arbitration Association & MAPS Mediation Arbitration Professional Systems, Inc. (New Orleans, LA)
Jo Colbert Stanley, JD, LLM, FCIArb, Managing Shareholder, Stanley Legal Services LLC and Chair, ADR Section, Federal Bar Association (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

On-Line Correspondents:
Amy Boyle, Partner, MSB Employment Justice, (Minneapolis, MN)
Mario Choi, Administrative Law Judge, Oakland regional office of the Office of Administrative Hearings (Oakland, CA)
José C. Camacho Vázquez, Esq. – Corporate Associate – Toro Colón Mullet, P.S.C. (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

About the Presenters

Keynote: Hon. Ana Reyes, U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the first Hispanic woman and first open LGBTQIA+ judge at the D.C. federal district court in history

Judge Reyes was appointed as a United States District Judge in February of 2023, assuming the seat previously held by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

Judge Reyes served as a law clerk to Judge Amalya L. Kearse on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2001).  After clerking, Judge Reyes became a litigation attorney at Williams & Connolly LLP, where she spent her legal career from 2001 to 2023.  While there, she served as the co-chair of the firm’s International Disputes practice group and on its Executive Committee.  Her practice focused on international litigation, representing foreign governments, foreign government officials, and multinational companies.  Judge Reyes also worked on patent, legal malpractice, and other complex civil litigation matters.

Judge Reyes devoted substantial pro bono time to assisting refugees and organizations that assist refugees in obtaining asylum, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Human Rights First. In 2016, she received the Legacy Award from Unlikely Heroes for her successful representation of young women escaping persecution by a regional terrorist organization.  The Legal Times has recognized her as a “Champion” for her pro bono efforts (2009).

In 2023, the Hispanic National Bar Foundation presented Judge Reyes with its “Judicial Leadership Award,” which recognizes excellence in the legal profession.  While in private practice, Judge Reyes earned accolades from The Legal 500 as a “Leading Lawyer” (2023) and “Next Generation Lawyer” (2020-2022) in International Litigation and from Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” (2019-2023).  The National Law Journal recognized her multiple times, including on its Outstanding Women Lawyers list recognizing “the 75 most accomplished female attorneys working in the legal profession today” (2015); as an “Immigration Trailblazer” (2018); a Washington D.C. “Rising Star” (2014); and as a Minority 40 Under 40 (2011).  In 2017, the Women’s Bar Association of D.C. named her as its “Woman Lawyer of the Year.”

Judge Reyes was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky.  She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School (2000), her M.I.P.P., with honors, from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University (2014), and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Transylvania University (1996).  Along with her admissions to bars of the United States, Judge Reyes was listed on the Roll of Solicitors in England and Wales.  Judge Reyes co-taught Advocacy in International Arbitration as a Clinical Visiting Co-Lecturer at Yale Law School (2018, 2019) and co-taught Trial Practice, Experts at Georgetown University Law School (2017).

Judge Reyes is often joined in Chambers by her golden retriever, Scout, who obtained his own Juris Dogtor, summa cum laude.

Bryan J. Branon, J.D., Principal, Branon’s ADR and Vice-Chair, FBA D&I Committee, Bryan J. Branon is an international arbitrator, mediator and business development strategist whose career has focused on the intersection of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and public policy. A former law clerk on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Court of International Trade, and intern in the Irish Parliament, Bryan has worked for several leading ADR provider organizations where he helped establish the Afghanistan Centre for Commercial Dispute Resolution, the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution and the International Mediation Institute. He is a founding member of the Tashkent International Arbitration Centre “45” Steering Committee and previously served as the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb) Regional Relationship Manager for the Americas where he led efforts to establish the first native Spanish-speaking branch in Ciarb history, Peru.

Bryan serves by FBA Presidential Appointment as Vice Chair of the FBA Diversity and Inclusion Committee after being nationally elected Chair of the FBA ADR Section. Bryan frequently lectures, publishes and consults on diversity, equity and inclusion, international ADR systems design, neutral appointments, ADR strategy, procedure and contract clause considerations. He welcomes arbitrator and mediator appointments, consultancy, speaking and publishing inquiries both in the U.S.A. and abroad. Bryan can be reached at Brvan@BranonsADR.com.

Dr. Kabir A.N. Duggal, Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator, Arnold & Porter. Dr. Kabir Duggal is an attorney in Arnold and Porter’s New York office focusing on international arbitration and public international law matters, serving both as arbitrator and mediator. He is recognized as a “Chartered Arbitrator” (the highest ranking for arbitrators) by both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution. He also frequently serves as an expert on international arbitration and public international law matters. Dr. Duggal is also a Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia Law School, an adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School, and a Course Director and a Faculty Member for the Columbia Law School-Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Comprehensive Course on International Arbitration. He also acts as a Consultant for the United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries (UN-OHRLLS) on the creation of a novel “Investment Support Program.” Dr. Duggal works closely with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) as an expert. He has also conducted training and capacity-building sessions for several Governments on public international law and dispute resolution matters. He also serves on the Federal Republic of Somalia’s New York Convention Task Force as well as the WTO Negotiating Team (International Board). He has published over 60 articles and has spoken at over 300 arbitration events all over the world. He currently serves as the President of the Bucharest International Arbitration Center. He is also a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion issues and frequently writes and speaks on these issues. He is the Co-Founder of REAL (Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers), a non-profit seeking to create greater representation in international arbitration. He is a graduate of the University of Mumbai, University of Oxford (DHL-Times of India Scholar), NYU School of Law (Hauser Global Scholar), Leiden Law School (2019 CEPANI Academic Prize), and is currently pursuing an SJD Degree from Harvard Law School. Dr. Duggal is admitted to practice law in New York, District of Columbia, England & Wales (as a Barrister), and in India. His LinkedIn profile is available here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duggalkabir/

Genesis Fisher, Esq., JAMS Mediator, Arbitrator & Trainer. Genesis Fisher is a mediator, facilitator, and trainer at JAMS who is highly adept at helping companies and families deal with tough issues. Through mediation, one-on-one coaching and conflict resolution training, she gets people talking so they can share their frustrations, address differences, and repair trust. She has led or supervised over 250 mediations. Her trainings and workshops have helped over 2,000 people in six countries communicate better and create effective solutions.

Ms. Fisher is the former director of the Mediation Clinic at New York Law School and has been an adjunct professor since 2014, having taught more than a dozen courses at NYLS, John Jay College, and Rutgers Law School. She also trains attorneys, former judges, and other professionals to mediate for the New York State court system.

Ms. Fisher is a certified mediator, a lead neutral for JAMS Pathways, a member of the Eastern District of New York Mediation Panel, and serves on the inaugural Advisory Committee for the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, which provides conflict resolution services for over 70 New York City agencies. She is a past president of the board of directors for the Association for Conflict Resolution in Greater New York.

Prior to focusing on dispute resolution, Ms. Fisher spent eight years fighting for the rights of indigent clients as a public defender with the Legal Aid Society. She started her legal career at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she worked on national civil rights issues and Alabama jail and women’s prison reform. She became interested in public interest law when she was the coordinator of volunteers at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless in D.C.

Anthony J. May, Partner, Brown Goldstein & Levy. Anthony May has represented clients in a variety of complex litigation matters including assisting employees with disabilities in obtaining accessible technology and accommodations in the workplace, representing individuals who have been wrongfully convicted, commercial litigation disputes, and fighting workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Prior to joining the firm, Anthony was the Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. Appellate Advocacy Fellow at The Public Justice Center, where he represented indigent clients, authored amicus briefs, and argued in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and Maryland appellate courts on various anti-poverty and civil rights cases. He clerked on the Appellate Court of Maryland (formerly known as the Maryland Court of Special Appeals) for the Honorable Deborah Sweet Eyler (Ret.).

While attending law school, Anthony worked as a law clerk at Brown Goldstein & Levy, was the Executive Symposium Editor of the Journal of Race, Religion, Gender & Class, a semi-finalist in the ABA Labor & Employment Law Trial Competition, and a Legal Writing Fellow.

Patrick W. Pearsall, Partner, A & O Shearman. Patrick Pearsall has decades of experience representing Fortune 500 companies and sovereign states in complex commercial contract and investment disputes. In addition to his commercial work, Patrick is often also called upon to assist companies and executives struggling with exposure from a geopolitical crisis. Patrick is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts in the world on investment protection and dispute avoidance. He has successfully resolved claims involving billions of dollars for clients in dozens of industries.

For nearly a decade, Patrick served in the U.S. State Department working on economic diplomacy. He departed in 2017 as the Chief of Investment Arbitration. In addition to his representations, Patrick was on a drafting committee for revision of the ICC Rules, was advisor on the revision of the AAA Rules, and led the negotiations of several bilateral and multilateral treaties on behalf of the United States.

Patrick has received several awards and serves on multiple boards. He is band ranked in Chambers, recommended in the Legal 500, listed in Latinvex as a “Top 100 Lawyer” in 2024, and the youngest person ever listed as a “Global Thought Leader” the highest designation in the peer ranked Who’ s Who Legal: Arbitration, where he is recognized as “an incredible advocate,” “whose razor-sharp mind is unmatched” and who is a “leader in public international law.”

He is an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School and Georgetown University Law Center where he teaches two courses on arbitration. He has also taught at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School.

Patrick sits on the panel of arbitrators for the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) as well as for the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB).

Richard Perque, Arbitrator & Mediator, MAPS Mediation Arbitration Professional Systems, Inc. Richard Perque began his legal career with his grandfather Risley “Pappy” Triche, and mother, Jane Triche-Milazzo. Following his grandfather’s retirement and mother’s election to the District Court in the 23rd Judicial District, and her subsequent appointment to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Richard opened his private practice to serve in the areas of family law, wills and estates, personal injury, civil rights, and general civil litigation. In 2014, Richard was nominated by New Orleans City Council Member Jason Williams and unanimously confirmed by the New Orleans City Council to serve on the Human Relations Commission for the City of New Orleans, where he served until 2016.

In 2016, Governor John Bel Edwards nominated, and the Louisiana State Senate confirmed Richard to serve as a Commissioner to the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights, representing the 2nd District, where he served until 2022. In 2022, the Louisiana Supreme Court appointed Richard to serve as Judge Pro Tempore of the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, where he served until 2023. In 2023, Richard co-founded DivorcePlus, a technology platform that provides individuals with on-demand direct access to a range of divorce services, including online legal services and divorce coaching.

Event Hosts

Tiffany Delery Davis, Arbitrator & Mediator, American Arbitration Association & MAPS Mediation Arbitration Professional Systems, Inc. Tiffany Davis has almost 20 years of experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court. She has been entrusted with complex and challenging legal matters for a variety of corporate and individual clients throughout her career. Tiffany has focused her litigation practice on matters concerning maritime and oilfield torts and contracts, personal injury, insurance and indemnity, environmental cleanup, property damage, and coastal erosion. She also has experience handling e-discovery, toxic tort litigation and regulatory and transactional matters.

Tiffany has always strived to promote civility and professionalism among members of the bar and to emphasize the importance of respect for the rule of law. She is also a founding member of the New Orleans Legal Diversity Collaborative and works with other organizations to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in legal and other institutions. Tiffany knows that diverse perspectives produce better outcomes, and she is dedicated to promoting diversity in all aspects of the legal profession.

Tiffany is active in many professional and community organizations, often serving in Board positions. She has spoken on issues relating to the nuances of Louisiana law, environmental litigation, insurance and indemnity, electronic discovery, the Medicare Secondary Payor Act, offshore drilling, and DE&I.

Tiffany graduated from Tulane Law School in 2005. Prior to beginning her legal career, Tiffany served for 8 years as an Intelligence Analyst in the United States Marine Corps Reserve with over three years of decorated active-duty service at home and abroad. Tiffany is married to Brandon Davis, a Partner at Phelps Dunbar, LLP. Tiffany and Brandon are the proud parents of three children.

Jo Colbert Stanley, JD, LLM, FCIArb, Managing Shareholder, Stanley Legal Services LLC and Chair, ADR Section, Federal Bar Association. An independent neutral and legal consultant, Jo Colbert Stanley is a Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator and certified mediator and holds a Diploma in International Maritime Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators where she is a Fellow. Jo is an arbitrator with the AAA on their consumer panel and serves as a Chair-qualified Public Arbitrator, hearing financial services-related matters for FINRA, and is a Registered Mediator for Florida’s Department of Financial Services where she handles a heavy case load of property insurance disputes. During her 20-plus years as a litigator in private practice, Jo focused on commercial litigation, employment, and insurance law. In that continued capacity, Jo offers legal consultant services and is Of Counsel at Colodny Fass, a leading insurance defense firm in Florida, working with their litigation and employment departments. Rostered on the International Yacht Arbitration Council, Jo was recently appointed by the Broward County Government Commissioners to serve on the county’s Marine Advisory Committee. In 2023, Jo was also honored by being selected as an Associate of the College of Commercial Arbitrators.

Jo is active in numerous national and local volunteer Bar associations, currently serving on the Admiralty Law Committee of The Florida Bar and as Chair of the Broward County Bar Association’s Admiralty/Maritime Law Section. Jo is also heading up the FBA’s Admiralty Law Section’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Jo notes she is a proud member of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, the Port Everglades Association, the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (where she serves as secretary on the Yachting Committee), and the Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club.

In addition to her other professional engagements, Jo regularly presents continuing legal education seminars, accepts invitations to present at conferences, and submits articles on dispute resolution and maritime topics. Jo is also currently working on her Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. In her “spare” time, Jo co-owns and operates Stanley Yacht Services (a yacht management and maintenance company based in Fort Lauderdale). She also endlessly practices her golf swing, to no avail.

On-Line Correspondents

Amy Boyle, Partner, MSB Employment Justice. Amy Boyle is a partner at MSB Employment Justice in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She handles all types of employment matters, with a particular focus on representing women who have experienced sex discrimination, sexual harassment and assault, and retaliation at work and whistleblower clients who have reported illegal workplace practices or companies engaged in deceitful conduct. Amy also represents clients who have found themselves in an untenable work situation, advising and negotiating severance agreements for executive-level employees often leaving long-term employment.

Boyle is the Chair Elect and Programming Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and the Immediate Past Chair of the Younger Lawyers Division. A frequent speaker on the topics of employment law, discovery, trial, and diversity and inclusion, Boyle has organized and presented at many FBA events. Aside from her work with the FBA, Boyle is active with the Minnesota Women Lawyers, serving as a Board Member and the Co-Chair of its Judicial Initiative, and Minnesota NELA.

Mario Choi, Administrative Law Judge, Oakland regional office of the Office of Administrative Hearings. Judge Mario Choi is an administrative law judge with the California Office of Administrative Hearings. Prior to serving the people of California, Judge Choi was a Partner at Donahue Fitzgerald LLP, where he advised and represented clients in complex commercial litigation and other matters. Judge Choi was also an attorney at a plaintiff side class action law firm, handling securities, consumer protection, and antitrust class actions. He began his legal career in New York, first as a law clerk to Justice of the New York Supreme Court, and then as a litigation associate at a mid-size law firm located in Midtown Manhattan.

Judge Choi is active in the community, serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the San Francisco Superior Court, a lecturer at Berkeley Law, and as a leader on the boards of several non-profit and legal organizations, including currently serving as Chair of LGBTQ+ Law Section of the Federal Bar Association. Judge Choi is a graduate of Boston University, Columbia University, and Northeastern University.

José C. Camacho Vázquez, Esq. – Corporate Associate – Toro Colón Mullet, P.S.C. José C. Camacho Vázquez is an Attorney at Law admitted to the bar and practice of law in Puerto Rico. Practices as a transactional attorney and offers clients legal services in corporate and commercial law, real estate transactions and commercial litigation. Admitted to the bar for the Federal District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, the bar for the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the bar of the United States Supreme Court. In addition, Mr. Camacho-Vazquez is Member of the Chamber of Commerce of Puerto Rico, the Federal Bar Association and the Puerto Rico Manufacturer’s Association.

Event Partner

Paul Thaler, Esq., Co-Interim Executive Director, National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. Paul Thaler is the co-Interim Executive Director of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association & Foundation alongside his longtime colleague Judi O’Kelley. Paul’s permanent role with the organization is the Chief Development Officer, in which he is responsible for all of the LGBTQ+ Bar’s fundraising initiatives. Under Paul’s leadership, the LGBTQ+ Bar has significantly increased its conference fundraising as well as expanded its individual and institutional giving programs. Paul has substantial experience in fundraising, LGBTQ+ non-profit leadership, and law.

 

Presented by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and the LGBTQ+ Law Section, in collaboration with the FBA Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and the District of Columbia Chapter

Thank you for support from the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association, the Federal Litigation Section, the Federal Career Service Division, the Law Student Division, the Senior Lawyers Division, the Younger Lawyers Division, the American Arbitration Association, Williams & Connolly LLP, maps Mediation & Arbitration, and the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. Thanks also to Champion Sponsor JAMS.

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